Liszt's last great project

This is the world premiere recording of the two scenes that Liszt completed of his massive oratorio on the martyrdom in 1076 of Poland’s patron saint

Composer: Liszt
Repertoire: St Stanislaus
Artists: Cincinnati SO/Conlon
Rating: 3/5
Genre: Oratorio
Label: Telarc CD-80607

Only Scenes 1 and 4 were completed by the time of his death in 1886. Their predominantly austere character is coloured by the dissonant musical language of Liszt’s old age. Though it’s a fascinating might-have-been work, extremely well recorded, played and sung, the drama proves less than gripping.